| Notes |
C.T. Buckman was born in Visalia, California March 28, 1889 near the Ov a l i n n o r th Visalia in a private residence as were most born in Visalia i n t h a t e r a. The “C” stands for Clement and the “T” is just that, an ini ti a l . M o st close and good friends referred to him as “Buck” all his lif e b u t h i s w ife, Edna Tschumy Buckman, mostly called him “Clem” particul ar l y w h e n he displeased her. He always got the message! Among Edna’s re l a t i v es was her brother, George Tschumy, Sr., who for many years manage d T i t l e T rust & Insurance Company in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s as well a s s e r v i ng as Visalia Mayor in the 1930s and as Exalted Ruler of the Vis al i a E l k s during that same period.
Buck and Edna married in 1912 in Visalia at the First Presbyterian Chur c h . T h e ir first house they shared was on West Center Street in Visalia n e a r V i s alia Union High School. In 1915 they had their only child, a dau g h t e r , Lois B. (Buckman) Simpson , who in 1939 married Stanley S. Simps o n , S r . a nd in 1940 had their only child, myself, Stanley, Jr. who live s i n t h e f a mily home today. I have three children all born in Visalia a nd a l l R e d wood High School graduates - Caroline, Diane and Meliss a . B uck w o u l d h ave been proud of his six great grandchildren and two great, g re a t g r a ndchildren.
Buck was educated primarily at Exeter High School and Visalia High Scho o l f r o m w here he graduated in 1907. His interest at the time was in civ i l e n g i neering and bird hunting. As well, baseball was an important par t o f h i s l i fe as he played at Visalia Union High School as a catcher an d a c o u p l e of years out of high school played semi-professional in Band on, O r e g o n. After that and marriage, he concentrated on earning a livin g as a c i v i l e ngineer. One of his engineering highlights was in miscalc ulation s i n p l a nning the “highest curb” in downtown Exeter, the only on e in T ul ar e C o unty! In 1916, in downtown Visalia one day, he purchased a h ea l t h i n surance policy from a friend. After paying the monthly premium f o r a f e w m o nths, the friend offered to sell Buck his business, he accep t ed t h e o f fer and became an insurance agent. Soon afterward, he found o u t t h e s e ller owed a lot of premiums on past sales to the insurance com p a n y , a round $2,000 which was a lot of money in that era . Buck made th e p a y m e nts good to the insurance company and was forever immersed in th e i n s u r ance business.
He officially started in the insurance business in 1916 and had a coupl e o f p a r t ners for 3-4 years. In 1920, he convinced Hymy Mitchell, then a b a n k t e l ler at the Bank of Italy on the corner of Church and East Main S t r e e t , which later became the Bank of America for years, to join him in t h e i n s u rance business. Hymy at the time was making $50.00 per month so t h e o f f e r to increase that cemented their lifetime relationship. Hymy Mi t c h e l l’s niece was Annie Mitchell, who was the Dean of Girls at Redwood H i g h S c h ool for years and the County of Tulare Historian for years. In 1 9 2 4 , B u ck and Hymy formed and incorporated Buckman-Mitchell, Inc. still k n o w n b y t hat name and operation today. At that time their office was lo c a t e d 1 22 N. Church , and since then in order, 506 W. Main, 309 W. Main a n d c u r r ently 500 N. Santa Fe, all in downtown Visalia, basically.
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1889 - 1978 (89 years)
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